Land pooling policy: Public suggestions to be heard by board on July 2-3, says DDA

Land pooling policy: Public suggestions to be heard by board on July 2-3, says DDA

Land pooling policy: Public suggestions to be heard by board on July 2-3, says DDA

Experts welcome the move as a step in the right direction, but say clarity required on how the urban body intends to integrate functions of other government departments

Public suggestions and objections on DDA’s land pooling policy, which is expected to meet the residential needs of about 95 lakh people besides stimulating economic growth, will be put before the authority’s Board of Enquiry and Hearing on July 2-3, an official statement has said.

Urban planners and experts have welcomed the move but said clarity required on how the urban body intends to integrate functions of other government agencies.

“It’s a step in the positive direction to involve the suggestions of the stakeholders pre notification. However, it’s not clear yet on how DDA intends to integrate the functions of other government departments such as revenue, MCD etc to facilitate land pooling. An exercise of this scale cannot be executed without a robust technology support, which is yet to be commissioned by DDA. Urbanization through land pooling is the future and large scale institutional investment, both domestic and international needs be solicited. Hence, it’s important that their point of view also be considered along with the landowners,” says Ramesh Menon, Certes Realty.

In December last year, the policy was simplified for speedy execution. DDA was to act as a facilitator and planner as against the role initially envisaged for it as a part of simplification of execution of land pooling policy. What that means was that the transfer of pooled land to the DDA will not be required.

Originally, land pooled under the policy was to be transferred to DDA which was to act as the Developer Entity (DE) and undertake further sectoral planning and development of infrastructure in the pooled land. At the December meeting it had decided to do away with this requirement and said that land title will continue to be with the original land owners.

“For implementation of land pooling policy, public notices were published in newspapers on January 11-12 for inviting objections, suggestions and observations or views within a period of 45 days from the general public. In all, 734 objections, suggestions and observations or views have been received,” the DDA said in a statement.

Individual hearing of the persons who have filed their objections, suggestions and observations or views will now be held on July 2-3 before the DDA’s Board of Enquiry and Hearing at the DDA headquarters in Vikas Sadan, it said.

In December last year, DDA was also asked to ensure single-window clearance mechanism for according necessary approvals for speedy implementation.

Land Pooling Policy covers the greenfield areas in five zones viz., J, K-1, L, N and P-II coming under the Master Plan of Delhi-2021. To incentivise dense development for effective utilisation of scarce land resource in the national capital, the policy permits enhanced FAR of 400 as against the present 150. To promote affordable housing, an additional FAR of 15 percent is also allowed.

About 22,000 hectares of land is expected to be pooled which could meet the needs of about 95 lakh people. Land pooling would catalyse economic, social and civic development of the national capital besides triggering substantial investments and employment generation.

Affordable houses for economically weaker sections to be built under the policy shall be of the size of 32-40 sq mt. Half of this housing stock shall be retained by the Developer Entity to house Community Service People working for the residents/owners of the Group Housing. These houses will be built at the site or at premises contiguous to the site allotted. The other half of affordable houses shall be sold to DDA at the base cost of Rs 2,000 per sq ft for further sale to beneficiaries.

Issues pending with the Delhi government, such as, notification of 89 villages under the DMC Act, 1957, and declaration of 95 villages as development area of the DDA under Section 12 of Delhi Development Act, 1957, were resolved in May and June last year respectively.